Ottawa Public Health says anyone in Ottawa who wants to get a novel coronavirus test can do so amid a declining number of people in hospital with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Following a directive from Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Sunday afternoon, the local public health unit confirmed that anyone in Ottawa — whether they’re showing potential symptoms of COVID-19 or not — can present for testing at the Brewer Arena assessment centre or either of the two care clinics set up in the east or west ends of the city.
The expansion of testing comes after a weekend in which the number of new coronavirus cases in Ottawa appeared to dwindle.
Ottawa Public Health reported only two new lab-confirmed cases on Saturday, followed by nine additional cases on Sunday, bringing the city’s total number of positive coronavirus tests up to 1,896.
Meanwhile, 13 more people died in relation to the virus over those two days, raising Ottawa’s pandemic death toll up to 233.
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 decreased to 38 from 44 on Friday, continuing a downward trend in the local hospitalization rate.
There are still 20 ongoing outbreaks in Ottawa institutions such as long-term care facilities, including the city-run Peter D. Clark home, where staff confirmed another resident died over the weekend due to complications from the virus.
In total, four residents and one staff member at Peter D. Clark have died in relation to the coronavirus, while 20 residents and 18 staff members have tested positive for the virus.
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